


If I'm being honest (I'd like to spend forever with you)

by pentagemini



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Mentions of Sex, all ships other than snwu are just mentioned, happy birthday hoshi i love you, this is my first fic pls forgive me, way too cheesy, with the exception of gyuhan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-14
Updated: 2018-06-14
Packaged: 2019-05-23 08:38:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14930906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pentagemini/pseuds/pentagemini
Summary: If Soonyoung's being honest, one long flowing sentence isn't always the way to go. Being silly though, sometimes is.





	If I'm being honest (I'd like to spend forever with you)

**Author's Note:**

> hello friends. i am writing this while taking deep breaths because if i'm being honest (lmao check me out making jokes) i'm scared shitless. this is my first fic to be published, and i hope you won't hate it! i'm still a noob when it comes to writing so please forgive me. this might have some mistakes here and there, i'm sorry! please take this fluffy soonwoo for my star's birthday. i love you soonyoung!

If he’s being honest, it was probably there from the start. It’s hard to explain, Soonyoung isn’t very good with words; he often finds himself stumbling on them, unable to create one long flowing sentence to describe exactly how he feels. Wonwoo, on the other hand, always had his way with words- a true lover of language. That’s why he chose to make it his profession.

When they were still in university, Soonyoung tried numerous times to tell Wonwoo how he feels- he’d open his mouth, every word on the tip of his tongue but nothing never seemed to come out. To say it was embarrassing would be an understatement, Soonyoung wished for a hole to open on the ground beneath him and swallow him along with it. Every single time without fail Soonyoung found himself standing with a gaping mouth to voice out his feelings, only to close his mouth a second later and brush Wonwoo off with the same excuses: he forgot, nevermind, it’s nothing.

To Soonyoung’s luck, Wonwoo caved first: it was a Sunday afternoon in the park, both of them on the grass with books for an impromptu study session. Soonyoung can vividly remember Wonwoo laying on his back, using his lap as a pillow (something that happened often, and still does) when he suddenly said words that would forever be imprinted onto Soonyoung’s brain.

“Soon-ah,” Wonwoo said, fingers caressing along the hem of Soonyoung’s shirt.

“Mhm?”

“Go on a date with me.” It was casual, matter-of-factly, barely even a question; Wonwoo _asked_ Soonyoung to go on a date with him. He wasn’t nervous, his breath didn’t catch and his limbs remained steady. Everything that Soonyoung wasn’t.

“What?” Soonyoung blinked then, jaw dropped to the grass and his heart beating in his ears. He wasn’t prepared for this, not in the slightest- he thought his crush was his and he’d have to keep it a secret until it went away. Oh how wrong he was.

“We’re being silly, don’t you think?” Wonwoo answered, seemingly at ease while reading the book splayed out on his knees before him.

“What do you mean being silly?” Soonyoung asked.

Wonwoo never answered his question. He smiled, lifting his head to reach Soonyoung’s, closing the gap between them as he pressed a soft kiss to Soonyoung’s mouth. His lips were mildly chapped but Soonyoung could feel the remaining texture of Wonwoo’s lip balm on them, as if he planned this and took his chapped lips into consideration. It tasted like coconut and it tasted like Wonwoo, not that Soonyoung knew how Wonwoo tasted like, but then he did, and it was oddly compatible with what Soonyoung had imagined.

The kiss itself was merely a long press of lips together. Wonwoo didn’t rush in, giving Soonyoung a chance to reciprocate. When he did, they had their first proper kiss, with tongues licking into mouths and hands gripping onto necks. How natural it was struck to Soonyoung the most— it didn’t feel weird, not even for a minute— and how silly they were became clear.

It was a sunny Sunday afternoon and Soonyoung was planning on nothing but a study session. but after a long conversation following the kiss, he discovered Wonwoo had been going over on exactly how he was going to do it for a pretty long time.

After that day, the puzzle that is Soonyoung’s life came together. He never looked back since.

  
  
Now, four years later and one kid (their cat, Hoshi) Soonyoung is still happy. He was happy when they finally moved in together last fall, Wonwoo held the keys to their new apartment in awe and excitement, his face read pure adoration for Soonyoung. His face was less adoring when Soonyoung said Wonwoo had to get rid of some video games and consoles he never touched anymore, pouting as he moved boxes from one place to another to pick which one to open first. He did it anyway, even though he bought even more since they moved in, giving Soonyoung the same excuses he always did.

The velvet box in Soonyoung’s top drawer nightstand has been sitting there for a good month or two, kept hidden between old papers and books and notes from the past. Soonyoung reaches for it every night, contemplating if now is the right time or if a right time even exists. He’s one to make a grand gesture, always keen to sweep Wonwoo off his feet, but Wonwoo isn’t the kind of person to appreciate grand gestures, so Soonyoung opts to make it a simple one, just the two of them; it could be alone in bed or at Wonwoo’s favorite restaurant around the corner. It really wouldn’t matter where as long as Wonwoo says yes, but Soonyoung is still on edge every time he thinks about it.

Tonight at the dinner table, Wonwoo tells some nostalgic stories about their _early days_ , as he likes to call them, and Soonyoung feels an urge to go ahead and be done with it, just so he could call Wonwoo his fiancee already, and later on, his husband.

“I can’t believe Jeonghan never considered it,” Wonwoo laughs and puts his fork down. “We were so obvious, weren’t we?”

“Yeah, but you can’t blame him. He was too distracted by Mingyu to even notice us,” Soonyoung smirks, reminiscing.

But he doesn’t want to get carried away, and this still doesn’t feel special enough. Maybe he won’t sweep Wonwoo off his feet, but it can still be better than this, better than around the dinner table with Hoshi purring at his legs for pieces of leftover chicken. Her fur brushes against Soonyoung’s bare ankle, tickling him when he looks down and extends a hand to pet her lovingly behind her ear.

“Have you given any thought on what you wanna do when your parents come to visit us next month?” Wonwoo asks while getting on his feet to collect their plates, not before Soonyoung takes a nice portion of chicken and feeds it to their small cat. Hoshi purrs even more when Soonyoung feeds her, moving to lay on her back to let Soonyoung rub her belly as she munches on a small piece.

“Ah, not really,” Soonyoung answers, still giving his undivided attention to his (theirs) cute feline.

Wonwoo sighs from above the sink where he’s washing the plates and placing them neatly and carefully in the dishwasher right next to it. Soonyoung can _feel_ Wonwoo’s eye roll, and stands up to walk towards his long time boyfriend, wrapping his arms around the taller man’s hips as he stands with his back faced Soonyoung’s way.

“We could do whatever, does it really matter? They only feel obligated to come because you’re getting your master’s degree soon, and love to tell me how I suck compared to my _genius_ boyfriend,” Soonyoung mutters with his chin resting on Wonwoo’s shoulder, placing soft kisses on his neck, and he can feel the other chuckle with his entire body pressed against him.

“They don’t, quit saying that. They’re coming for your birthday, too,” Wonwoo reassures, snickering as he turns around to pull Soonyoung closer (if that’s even possible), kissing him sweetly on his mouth and bites ever-so-slightly on Soonyoung’s bottom lip. It’s playful, inviting, and Soonyoung considers stopping this conversation altogether and taking Wonwoo to bed right now.

“They’re very proud of you,” Wonwoo adds in a serious tone, but his lips curve up to form the cutest, tiniest smile. “We still have to plan something, though. We need to have _some_ entertainment for them.”

“We’ll figure it out,” or to be more accurate, Wonwoo will figure it out. “There are far more important matters to discuss, for example: how do I get you to come to bed with me right now?” Soonyoung smirks, biting his lip in a way he _thinks_ Wonwoo might find seductive. The taller man laughs, nodding his head in a way that Soonyoung reads as _what am I going to do with you?_ and smiles fondly. He knows Wonwoo wouldn’t resist if he simply took him by the wrist and on to bed, but he _loves_ pointing out how much he wants Wonwoo for his ears to hear, and he loves how they turn a pinkish color at the words.

Wonwoo lets Soonyoung take him to their bedroom, _their_ bedroom while kissing and nibbling on every exposed patch of skin Wonwoo’s neck has to offer, and locks the door behind them before Hoshi decides to join. She scratches the door for the whole time instead.

 

Soonyoung is a teacher. Well, that’s what he says when asked, but if he’s being honest, he’s a preschool teacher. He always loved kids, and it seemed only reasonable to pursue a job in the field. Soonyoung likes to say he’s helping to shape the future generation, grooming them into being respectable young children. It’s a nice statement when people give him the odd eye, and they soon relax upon hearing the words, as if they find some reassurance in them.

But a job is a job, and it’s often tiring; especially when you work with kids. He still loves them, all thirteen of them- and they love their teacher too. Soonyoung’s approach is different than most, he relies on basic keys of communication, believing that kids aren’t so different from adults- and if you treat them right, their potential is off the charts. Soonyoung prefers to stay away from punishments, as they only tend to make things worse, opting to go with a heart-to-heart talk with a child who’s being naugthy or misbehaving. They usually work if the child isn’t too upset or hungry. Kids are often mistreated in Soonyoung’s opinion- their main goal is to stay happy and smiling, and to give them positive attention instead of a negative one, is always the way to go.

Today is no different than any other day, except Soonyoung feels a bit off after having trouble sleeping last night. The velvet box in his drawer haunts him when he goes to bed, and the minute he closes his eyes he can almost hear it calling his name. As if it’s not stressful enough to decide to propose.

They learn about the importance of vegetables  and fruits today. It’s always good to entice the kids with food, the class usually goes smoothly when they have something to nibble on as Soonyoung explains why tomato is in fact a fruit, and lists its benefits in a humorous manner for the kids. He usually enjoys these types of classes, but his mind is nowhere near the subject in matter. How can one tiny box be so distracting is beyond Soonyoung, and he finds himself having to take a deep breath between each sentence he says and each bite the kids take from their sliced tomatoes.

For Soonyoung, being a preschool teacher means to learn something new every day, but also to appreciate the knowledge you already possess. The look on a child’s face when you explain something which is essentially mundane to the average person is one Soonyoung always admires; this kid now has a piece of knowledge he didn’t have before, and can learn about new things in relation and also make connections by himself.

It’s kind of beautiful, Soonyoung thinks, and also kind of sad- when we grow up, we tend to forget how fun it is to learn. Children hold on to that, and Soonyoung loves being the one to help them gain more knowledge.

By the time every child’s parents comes to pick them up, Soonyoung is pretty much exhausted. He still needs to stay to clean up a few messes and rearrange the books that lost their usual place on the shelf. Even with his exhaustion, Soonyoung likes having a few moments to himself after everyone’s gone; to have an empty classroom is oddly calming in a way, the sudden quiet soothing his ears.

(But for a fleeting moment, he catches himself missing the sound of the kids’ laughter).

 

At around four o'clock Soonyoung gets home, unlocking the door quietly and stepping inside. He kicks off his shoes, and proceeds to collapse on the couch immediately. His face is shoved in between the cushines when a familiar, warm body climbs atop him, and a certain chin is jabbed into his shoulder.

“Were the kids good today?” Wonwoo asks while nuzzling him, his entire body stretched across Soonyoung’s; there’s simply no other way to fit them both together on their tiny couch. Soonyoung turns around, extending his arms to make some room for Wonwoo on his chest, right where it links with his neck, and wraps his arms around his boyfriend’s slim body, pulling him close and breathing him in. He must have just showered, because the smell of their soap and Wonwoo’s shampoo is filling his nose. It’s familiar.

“They’re always good,” Soonyoung mumbles mid yawn.

“Mhm, I see,” a small chuckle bubbles from Wonwoo’s mouth, and Soonyoung can feel him smile against him. “You’re a good teacher, Soon-ah.” Soonyoung snickers at the compliment. _This could make a hell of a nap_ , he thinks. It’s the best idea he had in a while, and he tightens his grip around Wonwoo.

“I need to work…” Wonwoo says, reading Soonyoung’s actions in a heartbeat. He knows exactly what it means when Soonyoung envelops him in that specific manner, but the tone of his words implies no real intention of going back to his study. The words are vacant of their true meaning and Soonyoung holds on to that, reaching close to place a gentle kiss on Wonwoo’s forehead, like a promise.

They end up staying in that same position for thirty minutes, jumbled on the couch, every limb intertwined. Wonwoo’s breathing is slow and steady and it doesn’t break for a second, sending Soonyoung into a weird deep sort of trance, and his own soon matches, their chests rising and falling together in their half slumber half cuddle. Soonyoung opens one eye to look at the room around them and spots little Hoshi snuggled on the armchair, sleeping solemnly. A smile forms across his face, and he’s happy, content in the world they managed to create for themselves, a home. Wonwoo looks like he’s dreaming under Soonyoung’s chin, his eyelids moving fast and his lips parted slightly. He looks so beautiful when he sleeps, Soonyoung always thought so; it’s almost indulgent, the way Wonwoo falls asleep on his chest, like he knows how it makes Soonyoung’s heart swell in his chest.

He bends his head just low enough for his lips to brush Wonwoo’s softly, barely making contact, but Wonwoo’s eyes flicker open and his lashes flutter against Soonyoung’s forehead as he presses a light kiss back.

“You remember we have that thing at Jeonghan’s tonight,” Wonwoo yawns, his voice even deeper than usual. Soonyoung finds the combination endearing.

With a sigh and an eye rub, Soonyoung pats Wonwoo’s back lightly to gesture for him to sit up, and once he does Soonyoung cracks his back with a loud snapping sound Wonwoo makes a face at immediately. He’s not the one who’s been laying flat on his back for the last half hour with a very long and boney person on top of him. Soonyoung rolls his eyes.

“At what time do we need to leave?” Soonyoung asks, yawning again- is it a rule you never stop yawning once you get old? And he’s only twenty seven, for christ sake. Well, almost.

“Approximately seven,” Wonwoo calls from where he’s standing at the counter now, making two cups of coffee. Soonyoung must marry this man.

He nods as he stands up, sending a loving smile his boyfriend’s way. Wonwoo comes back with his coffee, shoving it into his hand.

“Drink up and go take a shower. You smell like crayons and playdough.”

 

As seven rolls by, Soonyoung and Wonwoo are most definitely going to be late— as always— Soonyoung isn’t great with punctuation either, no matter how many times Wonwoo reminds him to go get dressed because _they need to leave, now._

“Did you grab the keys?”

Wonwoo takes a deep breath as if to calm a storm inside him. “I thought you have the keys! I was making sure Hoshi has enough food!”

Soonyoung looks at him with a blank expression and pressed lips, until he can’t hold it anymore. “Relax, sunshine. I’m just messing with you, let’s go,” Soonyoung plants a chaste kiss to Wonwoo’s lips as they leave Hoshi alone in the apartment.

Jeonghan and Mingyu are the last to move in together from the group of friends they’ve created along the years. Junhui and Jihoon were first to settle down once they realized they’ve been together for too long to keep postponing it— Jihoon wasn’t thrilled, to say the least— but his goal is to make sure Junhui is  always happy, so he did.

It’s their housewarming party. Jeonghan sent out the invitations before they even signed the lease, and Mingyu drew a portrait of them to go with. Soonyoung and Wonwoo both found it ridiculously sweet, much like Mingyu.

Soonyoung steps out of the car and hurries to open Wonwoo’s door for him, ignoring Wonwoo’s smirk as he does, knowing deep inside that his boyfriend, as stated- is a man of small gestures. They go up the stairs to Jeonghan’s and Mingyu’s new apartment holding hands. In Soonyoung’s other hand, a bottle of wine- and in Wonwoo’s- a set of mugs decorated with silly puns.

Jeonghan opens the door for them in an exaggerated greet that makes Soonyoung almost drop the wine on the floor. Once they settle everything on the wooden table in the kitchen, Jeonghan envelopes the both in a tight enough hug to suffocate them.

“We’re one of you now!” Jeonghan cries as he hugs the pair, forgetting they need to breath in the process.

Wonwoo somehow manages to laugh through the impossible hug Jeonghan created and makes Jeonghan and Soonyoung laugh as well. They break apart after Mingyu comes to greet them too, pulling Jeonghan away and apologizes for him with his eyes.

Everyone is there: The party holders, Soonyoung and Wonwoo, Junhui and Jihoon, and Hansol and Minghao (the newest addition to the group, after Junhui met Minghao during a marketing conference a few months back).

They talk, laugh, drink, eat. Mingyu cooked a three course meal including carpaccio for entree, shrimp linguine for main (he made a separate dish for Wonwoo), and creme brulee for dessert.

Somewhere between the third and fourth glass of wine, Jeonghan signals Soonyoung to come sit next to him on the sofa. Mingyu and Hansol are in the midst of a heated discussion about… Soonyoung isn’t sure. Jihoon and Wonwoo are talking video games as Junhui mumbles to his drunk self.

Once Soonyoung sits down, Jeonghan starts.

“Well?” He raises his eyebrows.

“Well what?”

Jeonghan lets out a sigh and wraps an arm around Soonyoung’s shoulder.

“So you didn’t do it yet.”

If possible, Soonyoung would have been happy to make his best friend a little less excited about his oncoming proposal, but since he told Jeonghan, the elder can’t stop bringing it up every time they see each other. A sucker for weddings is Jeonghan’s middle name. He promised to help Soonyoung with everything he needed, but Soonyoung hadn’t proposed yet (that doesn’t stop Jeonghan to ask everyday, even though he knows Soonyoung wouldn’t do it without him).

“It’s hard- it’s hard finding the right time,” Soonyoung swallows, giving Jeonghan a small smile.

Soonyoung would be rightfully surprised if Jeonghan would let this go and give his barely-an-excuse some of its credit. He’s very stubborn, his best friend- always have been.

“But I want to plan the wedding, Soonyoung-ah. You know Wonwoo, he’d say yes if you proposed in the dairy aisle at the grocery.” Jeonghan whispers.

A sneaky glance at the table confirms Wonwoo is still in deep conversation with Jihoon, So Soonyoung turns around to look at Jeonghan.

“Let’s plan the proposal first, okay?” Soonyoung asks, but not really; to give Jeonghan something to plan is good enough.

(If he’s being honest, Soonyoung never thought Jeonghan would like to plan a wedding- yes, he loves them, but Soonyoung initially thought that Jeonghan’s lazy nature would overcome his desire to see inside a wedding planner’s head. Only time will tell).

“Okay. Okay, okay. But promise me you won’t actually do it in the dairy aisle at the grocery,” Jeonghan says like he’s afraid his idea might become reality.

“I promise.” Soonyoung laughs, maybe a bit nervously. He sneaks another glance at Wonwoo. This time he glances back. Soonyoung smiles.

  
  
Come june, come parents, and it’s been a whole week since they’ve arrived. It’s the longest period of time Soonyoung had seen them in the last four years-- not that he doesn’t love his parents, the older Soonyoung gets the more he appreciates them-- but a week had passed and they have three more days to go (with Soonyoung’s birthday being tomorrow) and he can’t see the end. His luck for being a teacher and having no work to escape to when needed- but he wouldn’t invite them any other time than summer anyway.

Wonwoo, unsurprisingly, transformed himself into a tour guide as soon as they arrived, listing the various places he made plans for them to go visit (ignoring the fact it’s not their first time visiting Seoul). Soonyoung thinks he saw more of Seoul in the past week than he saw in the last six years and was amazed how Wonwoo didn’t run out of ideas on day three. Okay, maybe not amazed. Maybe more like triggered.

But, surprisingly, they choose to make the day before Soonyoung’s birthday slower. Less filled with adventures and lovely restaurants, and more homey- Soonyoung’s mother opts to cook a home-cooked, respectable dinner or all three men she’s stuck with, and Soonyoung says over and over again how much he appreciates the gesture and gives her plenty of kisses to make sure she won’t feel empty handed.

Her laugh mirrors Soonyoung’s- the same loud and bubbly sound (and adorable, according to Wonwoo). When they laugh together, Soonyoung can see Wonwoo’s face change into the one he always wears when Soonyoung does something unearthly cute, where his eyes sparkle and look at Soonyoung like he’s the only one standing in the room. It feels warm inside, even after four long years, and the thought is soon replaced by the same velvet box that’s been haunting him.

After Jeonghan gave Soonyoung a (second) talk, they’ve made plans on how the proposal is going to be: they booked reservations at one of the best restaurants and one of Wonwoo’s all time favorites- as if it’s to celebrate Soonyoung’s birthday (Jeonghan couldn’t stop saying it’s the greatest decoy he ever thought about— and the man is full of them), and set up Soonyoung’s parents to go see a play. Everything is prepared to perfection, and Soonyoung is might as well be dead if it won’t go according to plan.

Jeonghan says it’d be best to pop the question at dessert, and Soonyoung does everything Jeonghan tells him. He also irons Soonyoung’s best suit for him, like he isn’t capable of doing it himself (but if he’s being honest, Wonwoo is the one to iron around the house, anyway).

 

When the big day arrives, Soonyoung is more nervous than he was in his entire life. He wakes up before his alarm goes off (first sign) takes a two minute shower and goes to the kitchen to make breakfast.

Soonyoung takes out two pieces of bread to make some toast when Wonwoo stumbles into the living room with his hair in a mess and with nothing but boxer briefs. Thank god his parents went out to eat breakfast.

“What- what the hell are you doing?” Wonwoo asks sleepily, scratching his head with one hand and rubbing his eyes with the other.

“What do you mean what am I doing? Only making the most important meal of the day,” Soonyoung smiles but soon realizes that was just the worst thing he could ever say to anyone, but especially Wonwoo.

His boyfriend shoots him a confused and frankly, a pretty suspicious look. “Are you- you usually beg me to serve you breakfast in bed on your birthday. You’ve said it’s a tradition from now on, remember?”

 _Shit._ Soonyoung completely forgot about that very important detail and is already two steps from ruining everything. He must act normal, like it’s just another birthday like any other and there’s nothing different or remarkably exciting and nerve wracking in what he had planned for today. How does he usually act on his birthdays?

“Uhh- yes, this was all a test for you! now serve me breakfast, I’m going back to bed.”

He kisses him gently on the lips before disappearing into the bedroom and wishing to disappear all together. If Wonwoo catches how anxious Soonyoung is, he’s going to have plenty questions Soonyoung won’t be able to answer.

Is he doing the right thing? They’ve never talked about getting married, only the idea of marriage (Wonwoo said he always wanted to, when he was stable enough) and now, after all the preparations and diligent care, Soonyoung is about ready to start freaking out.

The worst thing that could happen- Wonwoo says no, breaks up with Soonyoung, leaves him alone with his parents. No, that’s way too painful to think about on his birthday. But what if Wonwoo really does say no? Soonyoung can’t even picture his life without him by now- it hasn’t been _his_ life for a very long time. It’s their lives, one is nothing without the other- they’re woven in each other completely. Soonyoung can’t remember his life before Wonwoo, can’t remember who he was.

How special Wonwoo is has to be seen through this. Grand gesture or not, Soonyoung’s obligation to himself is to make sure Wonwoo know how much he means to him. He probably won’t say no, because he loves Soonyoung as much as Soonyoung loves him. Spending the rest of their together only seems appropriate. There is no other life worth living.

Wonwoo comes back with toast and fresh fruit, smiling as he hands the plate to Soonyoung.

“So how are we feeling today, birthday boy? You won’t be able to get in the twenty seven club anymore,” he snickers, scooting over to sit next to Soonyoung and nuzzle his neck.

He just might, if someone can die from being restless.

“Don’t remind me how old I am. I can continue denying and saying I’m twenty six until I hit twenty eight, right?”

Wonwoo laughs. “Right. Now eat your breakfast, we have plenty to do.”

 

They meet Soonyoung’s parents for birthday lunch celebrations at a nearby diner. They don’t know; Soonyoung didn’t want to count on them not to slip up and say things they shouldn’t. They know the boys are going for dinner but much like Wonwoo, they think the special occasion is only Soonyoung’s birthday.

“I was bragging to all my friends how my son’s boyfriend is getting a masters in linguistics. You make everyone so proud, Wonwoo dear.”

“Thank you,” Wonwoo says shyly between bites, glancing at Soonyoung just in time to catch him rolling his eyes. “Soonyoung is also making great progress at school. They’re about to give you a raise, right honey?”

“They like my approach,” Soonyoung smiles weakly, playing with his fork.

This lunch can’t go any slower and Soonyoung is very close to losing his ability to make decent, proper conversation that people who aren’t nervous as hell can. Maybe choosing to do this on his birthday wasn’t one of his greatest ideas (wasn’t one of _Jeonghan’s_ greatest ideas) but now he must suffer through this and just pray not to do or say anything too suspicious like he did this morning.

Soonyoung’s parents pay for the meal after some resistance. It’s his birthday, so he lets them have it this time- he's about to pay a lot of money for dinner. This is the most excited Soonyoung’s ever felt about spending money.

 

When they go back to their apartment there’s three more hours until dinner and Soonyoung is feeling the stress. Jeonghan had been calling him all day and he had to decline his calls so no one asks what’s so important (maybe declining Jeonghan’s calls was a suspicious act on its own, but Soonyoung couldn’t pick up the phone with Wonwoo _and_ his parents around. Jeonghan might scream incriminating words into it).

The dry cleaned, ironed black suit is hanging in the closet. Soonyoung sneaked the small velvet box into the inside pocket last night, just to be sure.

He stands with the closet door open, staring at his black suit. Fancy dinner, fancy Soonyoung. He keeps staring for some time until Wonwoo barges in the room with a towel on his head and cotton, checkered print pyjama pants.

“I can’t find my glasses,” Wonwoo huffs as he looks around their room with searching eyes. Soonyoung points to the dresser next to the door, where Wonwoo’s round thin glasses are resting on.

“Thanks,” he simpers, taking his glasses and walking over to Soonyoung’s side to place a soft kiss on his temple. “Excited?” Wonwoo asks, resting his chin on Soonyoung’s shoulder and looks at the hanging suit.

Soonyoung laughs anxiously. “Yeah,” to say the least.

“Twenty seven isn’t that old, Soon-ah. When you’re thirty you have my full permission to feel old,” Wonwoo hugs Soonyoung from behind, wrapping his arms around the smaller man’s chest. “And even then, you’d be young at heart.”

Soonyoung turns around to envelop Wonwoo in a tight hug. It almost feels like lying to him, all this sneaking around; he never kept secrets from Wonwoo, not major ones at least. He knows this doesn’t count, but it feels weird knowing something Wonwoo doesn’t. It’s usually the other way around.

“You smell nice,” Soonyoung mutters under his breath, brushing his nose against Wonwoo’s neck.

“You too,״ Wonwoo inhales, tightening his grip around Soonyoung.

“Keep the glasses for tonight. I like you better with glasses.”

“That so?” Wonwoo backs away for the hug to look as Soonyoung, raising his eyebrows.

“Mhm, yes,” Soonyoung leans in for a deep, mouth open kiss. Wonwoo melts into it as Soonyoung takes the lead and licks into his mouth and over his lips, lingering on the softness.

One thing Soonyoung knows for sure is that he doesn’t want to kiss anyone else. Even if Wonwoo says no, even if things don’t go according to plan, Soonyoung is set to make Wonwoo his forever. And hopefully, soon.

Wonwoo smiles against Soonyoung’s lips as he drags him into bed. Soonyoung feels less scared.

  
  
Jeonghan is surprisingly calm when Soonyoung calls him to make sure everything is set up. They need to leave the house any minute, and the weight of one velvet box is indescribably heavier than it should be inside Soonyoung’s pocket. As his heart.

Wallet, keys, ring. Everything’s in place, except for Soonyoung.

“Are you ready?” Wonwoo yells from the living room, standing in front of the mirror and fixing his tie.

“I’m right behind you, Wonwoo-yah.”

Wonwoo turns around to look at Soonyoung. In the silence of the house they can both hear their breath catching at the sight of the other, eyes widening and jaws dropped.

“You look-” they say together, and break into laughter.

“You look incredible,” Soonyoung jumps in first, pulling Wonwoo by the waist. “How did I get so lucky?”

“I should be asking this myself, Soon-ah. You look very handsome,” Wonwoo plants a kiss on his forehead, cupping Soonyoung’s face in his hands.

“You look better. Come on, we don’t want to be late.”

 

The restaurant is, in fact, really fancy. Round mahogany tables with padded chairs and beautiful yellowish-orange lighting, wine glasses ready to be filled on each table and napkins folded neatly. They take their seats and Soonyoung is already fidgeting in his chair, feeling unprepared despite all his meticulous planning.

Wonwoo looks quite nervous himself, but for seemingly other reasons than Soonyoung. They don’t frequent in places as elegant as this. They must have eaten here twice in the last four years.

“Do you think they serve carpaccio here? I can’t remember, and Mingyu’s was spectacular,” Wonwoo remarks, taking the folded napkin and placing it on his lap.

“If they do, you should take it.” A smile isn’t always the best disguise, but Soonyoung is doing everything in his power to make it one.

“Don’t mind if I do,” Wonwoo reciprocates the smile as he takes Soonyoung’s hand in his over the table. “This is one special birthday, isn’t it?”

Soonyoung almost chokes on his spit. “W-what do you mean?”

“Well, your parents came to visit, this restaurant sure is luxurious. Special. What else could it be?”

“Right, right. Don’t pay any attention to me, I’m just excited for dinner,” Soonyoung sighs in a way he hopes isn’t too obvious, and smiles.

 

They order the carpaccio, because they indeed have it; and bone marrow, because they never had it and Mingyu recommended it dearly. Soonyoung orders the spare ribs for main and Wonwoo goes for filet mignon. Everything is so tasty Soonyoung could die. He’s happy this food is too expensive for him to be eating it everyday- he’d gain too much weight if he could eat like this all the time.

Wonwoo‘s knife cut into his steak like butter, and he places pieces on Soonyoung’s plate to try. They marvel on every bite, and Wonwoo is beaming- he looks like he’s enjoying himself to a point Soonyoung might end up crying for different reasons than he thought.

“It’s _your_ birthday but I feel like I'm the one getting well treated,” Wonwoo says before taking a sip from his wine.

“It’s what I strive to do,” Soonyoung smirks.

“But it’s your birthday, Soonyoung. I feel like I haven’t done anything but gotten you that lame present,” Wonwoo murmurs and takes the wine from between the ice to fill both their glasses.

“It’s not lame, I love it,” Soonyoung reassures.

“You don’t love books. I love books and love gifting them to you. You can’t fool me.”

Soonyoung laughs loudly, maybe too loudly. It happens often when he's nervous. “I would never fool you. I love you. Are you up for dessert?”

“I love you too. And are you really asking?”

“I was told they have the best crack pie here. Order while I go have my birthday cigarette?”

Wonwoo rolls his eyes jokingly. “You shouldn’t have a cigarette at all. Go on.”

“You’re the best, you know that?” Soonyoung asks once he’s on his feet, leaning in to kiss Wonwoo softly on the cheek.

“What’s up with the compliments today? You’re gonna turn me cocky,” He places a hand on Soonyoung’s chest. “Go have your birthday smoke and come back, I really want that crack pie.”

 

The minute Soonyoung steps outside he feels the hot evening air on his skin. He loves summer, always had; there’s something very serene about it- the feeling of freedom. It’s most likely because he’s a teacher and summer means being off work, but it also has other meanings, like his and Wonwoo’s birthdays, going to the beach, having naps with the air conditioning turned on.

This fancy restaurant and the suits and fine dining is beginning to look a lot like a grand gesture and Soonyoung is feeling the heat. Is this goes sideways, he can always blame Jeonghan; but if he’s being honest, he could only blame himself. Spending forever with Wonwoo is a thought he had since their first date. It’s been four years since and he’s about to make it into reality. Soonyoung takes a long drag from his celebratory cigarette that had turned from a nostalgic tradition into a way to calm his nerves the minute he went outside.

Being sure isn’t enough. His stomach is twisting and he feels like he’s going to be sick. _Maybe the cigarette was a bad idea after all_ , Soonyoung thinks as he steps on the bud and turns around to go back inside.

Wonwoo is standing in all his glory at the restaurant entrance when Soonyoung turns. He looks ethereal, surreal beauty in the black suit and tie, the thin glasses resting on his nose. He’s breathtaking.

“You were taking a while- is everything okay?”

Unable to speak. One long flowing sentence to describe exactly how he feels is the hardest task Soonyoung can think about, but Wonwoo doesn’t need him to; when they reach each other, a breeze washes over them. Only half warm by summer air, Soonyoung looks at Wonwoo with eyes that sparkle in almost-forming tears.

“Wonwoo,” Soonyoung clears his throat.

“What? You don’t want crack pie anymore? We can order something else, I don’t min-“

“I love you. I know you know, and I can see the look on your face, but let me finish.

“Do you remember what you said to me when you asked me out? you said, ‘we’re being silly, don’t you think?’ and after you kissed me, I understood what you meant. We were being silly denying what was happening between us then, and I’m being silly now, pretending to know what the hell I’m doing,” Soonyoung voice cracks as the tears come to form.

“I want to spend forever with you. Do you want to spend forever with me?”

Wonwoo’s eyes widen and his tears are so immediate Soonyoung can’t help but pull him close, as if to comfort without knowing what he’s comforting for. Their foreheads are stuck together as Wonwoo cries and Soonyoung wipes away his tears.

“Jeon Wonwoo, will you marry me?” Soonyoung says just loud enough for Wonwoo to hear, and the taller man nods his head profusely.

“Soonyoung… Yes, yes, I’ll marry you,” Wonwoo says between sobs as Soonyoung backs away to take out the same velvet box.

Soonyoung slides the ring on Wonwoo’s shaking finger with his own trembling hands, and leans in so their foreheads can touch again.

If Soonyoung’s being honest, he can’t picture another life for him. The only one worth living is the one where Wonwoo waits for him to come home and cuddle with him on their tiny couch with Hoshi purring at his feet. Being silly has its benefits, and Soonyoung is most definitely the lucky one.

**Author's Note:**

> i want to thank rani for being the best twin in the world and encouraging me everyday. i want to thank kat for being such a good friend to me and putting up with me through every new project i start, ilu! (can u believe i finished a fic? me neither) and also thanks to ra for going over this for me in such short notice! you're all the best.
> 
> i'm sorry if this sucks. ilu all!
> 
> i'm @wonsense on twitter


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